Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Programs And Volunteer Needs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
REACH, district highlight prevention programs and ask for volunteers for Operation First Day
Summary
REACH thanked Waxahachie ISD for the partnership and described prevention curricula and family programs; district community relations staff reported 600 guest readers during Deer Day and asked for volunteers and donations (hygiene packs, socks, underwear) for the August Operation First Day event.
Tom Kowatch, director of school programs at REACH, told the Waxahachie ISD School Health Advisory Council that REACH values its partnership with the district and is available to continue prevention education presentations and family curriculum programming through the remainder of the school year and into the next.
"We're very, very thankful and and value the relationship and partnership we have with your school district," Kowatch said. He described REACHprograms that teach life skills, healthy-relationship recognition and how unhealthy behaviors can affect short- and long-term health. Kowatch said REACH runs student-led tobacco coalitions and a "vape escape" activity that the agency is testing with schools.
Rebecca Lockridge, WISD community involvement coordinator, said Deer Day drew robust volunteer support: "Every single elementary campus and every single classroom inside every elementary campus had at least 1 guest reader," she said, estimating more than 600 readers districtwide on a single day.
Lockridge also said the district named a lone finalist for superintendent in a press release and encouraged the community to view the release on the district website and social media for full biographical details.
Looking ahead to August, Lockridge asked the SHAC and community partners for help with Operation First Day, which provides haircuts, hygiene packs, socks and underwear to students. She said volunteers and partners provided hygiene packs that were distributed quickly last year and that Kiwanis Club partners provided roughly 300 socks and underwear in varying sizes; Lockridge said demand for feminine hygiene products and adult sizes was greater than expected and remains an area of need. She asked members with partner connections (realtors, Kiwanis, Lions) to help secure donations and volunteers. She said the district is considering combining or eliminating a separate Back to School Bash to ease partner workload and because event attendance outgrew Railyard Park's 3,000-person capacity last year.
Kowatch said REACH can provide presentations, family programming and support for school events during spring and into next school year and left contact information for scheduling.
Lockridge said the Partners in Education luncheon is scheduled for next Wednesday and that she will circulate more dates and signup information to committee members.
District staff did not announce a final August date for Operation First Day; Lockridge said the event is planned for a Saturday in August and that time and location were to be determined.
